David Grunfeld/The Times-PicayuneNew Orleans Saints cornerback Jason David intercepts Atlanta Falcons rookie quarterback Matt Ryan during the first quarter of their Dec. 7, 2008, game at the Superdome.

Sean Payton's stated goal of training camp is to determine the exact ingredients of the New Orleans Saints' 53-man roster gumbo.

The sorting process begins tonight when the Saints kick off the exhibition season against the Cincinnati Bengals at the Superdome.

In reality, about half of the 80 players on the Saints roster will use the preseason as a simple tune-up for the regular season. It doesn't take Vince Lombardi to know who most of those players are. Even casual NFL observers can name 45 or so of the final 53.

The other four dozen are fighting for the handful of open spots.

"There are about six or seven decisions that are going to be difficult but critical for us," Payton said last week.

Jason David is at the center of one of those difficult but critical decisions. The veteran cornerback finds himself fighting for a roster spot in his sixth NFL season.

The math doesn't calculate well for David. He's the No. 5 cornerback on the depth chart, but the third-highest paid defensive back on the roster.

Michael DeMocker/The Times-PicayuneDenver wide receiver Brandon Marshall catches a 28-yard fourth-quarter pass despite a pass interference penalty by Jason David of the New Orleans Saints during their Sept. 21 game in Denver. David is the No. 5 cornerback on the Saints' depth chart, but the third-highest paid.

His $2.4 million base salary is far from onerous by NFL standards. With about $5 million in cap room, the Saints undoubtedly can live with the expense. But the decision is more complicated than simply dollars and cents.

Do you keep David ahead of Leigh Torrence, the sixth corner, who is cheaper, 3 inches taller, a better special teams player and almost as experienced?

And if you keep both, can you afford to go six deep at corner when your safety spot has five quality, NFL-caliber players?

At some point, the quota of roster spots expires.

This is the personnel puzzle Payton and his staff will try to resolve in the next four weeks.

And David, one of the most liked and respected players in the club's harmonious locker room, could be the odd piece out.

Ask him about the subject, and he quickly deflects the discussion. Always respectful, he doesn't play hypotheticals or worry about things outside of his control.

"No matter who you are, if you want to be a player in this league, you take the preseason pretty seriously," David said. "I don't look at my situation -- or if I even have a situation -- any differently than anybody else (on the roster)."

But clearly his situation is different.

David is being paid a salary commensurate for a starter, but is playing on the second- and third-team defense. He'll likely fall farther down the depth chart once rookie first-rounder Malcolm Jenkins finds his bearings.

David admittedly has struggled since he stepped foot in New Orleans two years ago. The transition from the Colts' Cover-2 defense, where David thrived for three seasons as a starter, has been rough.

While leading the team in interceptions the past two seasons, he's also been a target for several big plays as opponents picked on diminutive David in single coverage.

Accordingly, his stock has plummeted worse than General Motors.

David entered the 2007 preseason as the Saints' prize offseason acquisition, a sure-fire starter expected to bolster an undermanned secondary.

Two years later, he's fighting for his NFL life.

He desperately needs a strong exhibition season. To his credit, the humble Californian hasn't griped or wallowed in self-pity. Through sheer tenacity, he's staved off roster extinction all offseason and remains a viable candidate to make the final roster.

"I really try to not pay too much attention to (the depth chart)," David said. "I try to go out there and do my job and work hard and try to get better. You can't think about the other stuff. Coach Payton always says you're not really competing so much against teammates but against other players around this league. I'm going to try to keep that in mind."

So far, David has opened the eye of the one person he needs to impress most: first-year defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

Williams praised David's attitude and ball skills this week. He said he's liked the way the veteran responded when he strategically "chewed him out" a couple of times in practice.

"He has not one time pouted or sulked," Williams said. "He's done well."

Having mastered the intangibles, David's roster spot might come down to the tangible. Williams wants to see how physical the 5-foot-8, 160-pounder can be in run support and press coverage.

Williams values two things in his defenders: intelligence and toughness. He knows David has the requisite smarts. Tonight he'll start to evaluate his toughness.

"It's important for me to see how physical he can play against big matchups," Williams said.

Cincinnati will provide a perfect opportunity tonight. The Bengals' fleet of receivers has a little bit of everything. Chad Ochocinco is the prototype lead receiver, a five-time Pro Bowler. Laveranues Coles has sprinter's speed and a veteran's smarts. Belle Chase native Chris Henry is a towering target in three-receiver sets.

"For me, Coach Williams is a dream coordinator," David said. "I'm excited about getting a chance to play in the scheme even during the preseason."

David learned about the business aspect of the NFL a long time ago. He started 11 games for the Colts as a rookie in 2004, then watched Indy use three of its four first- and second-round picks the next two years on cornerbacks.

He knows job security is inherent for high draft picks and big-money free agents, their leashes extend longer because of contractual obligations.

The numbers, too, are stacked against David. The Saints kept seven cornerbacks last season, but that was an exception, not the norm, largely because of Mike McKenzie's injury. Most seasons they've kept just five.

"This isn't my first rodeo," David said. "I've had first-rounders and second-rounders drafted after my first year at cornerback. Since then, I've just had this attitude, go out there and compete and don't worry about what the other guys are doing.

"I just want to go out and play ball. The more you focus on numbers or (thinking) they've got this guy coming in or that guy, that's going to hinder yourself and your game."